Leo the big doubt

English Barclays Premiership

The Norwegian international trained on Friday at Spurs Lodge but missed the last two friendlies in pre-season and is still feeling discomfort from a heel problem.

Otherwise boss George Graham has a number of positional dilemmas. He must choose between Ian Walker and Neil Sullivan in goal, Ben Thatcher and Mauricio Taricco at left-back and who partners Sergei Rebrov up front out of Steffen Iversen, Les Ferdinand or Chris Armstrong.

Our definite absentees are Willem Korsten (recovering from hip surgery) and Ledley King (recovering from broken foot) while Matthew Etherington (ankle) is a doubt.

Ipswich newcomer Hermann Hreidarsson will be thrown into the deep end by George Burley after the completion of his £4m move from Wimbledon.

He will partner promising youngster Titus Bramble, 19, and ex-Spur John Scales in a three-man central defence - providing Scales passes a late fitness test on a thigh complaint. Another ex-Spurs Jamie Clapham will play at left wing-back while Burley chooses between Fabian Wilnis and Gary Croft for the right-sided role.

Striker Richard Naylor is the only player certainly out after undergoing knee surgery in the summer. That means David Johnson, Marcus Stewart and James Scowcroft battle it out up front.